Russia open to sell missile systems to Turkey: Official

BINTANGNEWS.com
–A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir
Putin says his country could sell missile systems to neighboring Turkey in
light of a rapprochement between Moscow and Ankara.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on
Friday that Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan had
discussed potential arms deals during a meeting in Istanbul earlier this
week.

He said Russia would consider selling various missile defense
systems to Turkey in case the latter wants them.

Peskov’s comments were echoed by Turkish presidential
spokesman Ibrahim Kalyn, who said Ankara and Moscow are holdingdiscussions
on possible cooperation in the military-technical sphere.

“An agreement on enhanced cooperation with Russia in defense
industry was struck during negotiations in Istanbul. Turkey's defense
industry department is currently holding talks with Russian parties over
the guidelines,” Kalyn pointed out.

Commenting on Turkey’s willingness to purchase long-range
missile systems from Russia, the top Turkish official said his country is in
principle positive about the notion.

Turkey would sit at the negotiating table and sign an agreement
for missile systems once its national security is at stake, Kalyn stated.

Late last June, Turkey and Russia put an end to seven months
of strained relations, when Erdogan wrote a letter to his Russian
counterpart, apologizing for the Turkish military’s downing of a Russian
Su-24 during an anti-terror mission in Syrian skies near the Turkish border.

The Russian fighter jet went down in the mountainous Jabal
Turkmen area of the Syrian western province of Latakia on November 24, 2015.
The pilot lost his life in the crash, while Syrian government forces rescued
the Russian navigator on board, who survived the crash.***